Electrical connector with improved load plate

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector ( 100 ) includes an insulating housing ( 5 ) with a plurality of contacts received therein, a load plate ( 1 ) covering on the insulating housing ( 5 ) and a screwing member ( 2 ) assembled to the load plate ( 1 ). The screwing member ( 2 ) includes a head portion ( 20 ) with a plurality of tooth portions ( 201 ), the load plate ( 1 ) includes a tongue portion ( 12 ) with a fixing hole ( 120 ) for the screwing member ( 2 ) going through, a recess ( 121 ) near the fixing hole ( 120 ) and a block ( 1210 ) in the recess ( 121 ), during the process of screwing the screwing member ( 2 ), the tooth portions ( 201 ) touch with the block ( 1210 ) for making a sound.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector, andmore particularly to an electrical connector having an improved loadplate which can indicate a degree of the load plate being screwed onto aprinted circuit board (PCB) and then prevents overstress thereby.

2. Description of Related Art

TW patent number M344587 issued to Yeh on Nov. 11, 2008 discloses atraditional socket connector for connecting a package to a substrate.The socket connector comprises an insulating housing with a plurality ofcontacts received therein, a positioning member near the insulatinghousing, a metallic cover assembled to the positioning member andcovering on the insulating housing and a screw assembled to the metalliccover. The positioning member and the insulating housing are positionedon the substrate. The load plate includes a body portion and a tongueportion extending from the body portion. The tongue portion defines ahole for assembling the screw. After the package is assembled to theinsulating housing, rotate the cover to a closed position and then tightthe screw to a position where the cover exerts a pressure on the packageto make sure that the package stays in the socket securely. However,when tight the screw, there is no any cue to tell the operator that thescrew has been tighten to its correct position. If the screw does notachieve its correct position, the load plate can not exert a normalforce on the package, which can not ensure the connection between thecontacts of the socket connector and the package. While if the screw isover-screwed, the force exerted by the load plate will damage thecontacts.

Hence, it is desirable to provide an improved electrical connector toovercome the aforementioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide anelectrical connector having an improved load plate can indicate a degreeof the load plate being screwed onto a printed circuit board (PCB) andthen preventing overstress thereby.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an electricalconnector for mounting on a printed circuit board (PCB), includes aninsulating housing, a plurality of contacts received in the insulatinghousing, a load plate covering on the insulating housing and being ableto rotate between a closed position and an opened position and ascrewing member assembled to the load plate and used to keep the loadplate in the closed position, the screwing member includes a headportion with a plurality of tooth portions, the load plate includes atongue portion, the tongue portion has a fixing hole for the screwingmember going through, a recess near the fixing hole and a block in therecess, during the process of screwing the screwing member, the toothportions touch with the block for making a sound.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrical connector according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the screwing member as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the circular portion of the load plate asshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the electrical connector and a printedcircuit board (PCB);

FIG. 5 is side view of the electrical connector and the printed circuitboard (PCB) as shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, wherein the screw is screwed to a correctposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the presentinvention in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, an electrical connector 100 of the presentinvention is used for connecting a central processing unit (CPU) 8 witha printed circuit board (PCB) 7. Referring to FIG. 1, the electricalconnector 100 comprises an insulating housing 5 with plurality ofcontacts (not shown) received therein, a fixing member 4 assembled onthe PCB 7, a load plate 3 pivotally assembled to the fixing member 4 andcovering on the insulating housing 5, a pair of fastening members 3 forassembling the fixing member 4 and the load plate 3 to the PCB 6, ascrewing member 2 assembled to the load plate 3 for assembling the loadplate 3 to the PCB 6 and a ring 6 assembled to the screwing member 2.

The load plate 10 has a main portion 10, a tongue portion 12 extendingfrom a front end of the main portion 10, and a pair of pivotal portions13 extending toward each other from the two opposite ends of the mainportion 10. Referring to FIG. 3, the tongue portion 12 defines a throughfixing hole 120, a recess 121 near the fixing hole 120 and a block orprotrusion 1210 in the recess 121.

The fixing member 4 includes a body portion 40 and a pair of L shapedslot 401 on two ends thereof and a pair of through holes 402 penetratingthe body portion 40 of the fixing member 4.

Referring to FIG. 2, the screwing member 2 includes a head portion 20,an assembling portion 21 extending downwardly from the head portion 20and a matching portion 22 extending downwardly from the assemblingportion 21. The head portion 20 defines a plurality of tooth portions201.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, after the electrical connector 100 is assembledto the PCB 7, the fixing member 4 locates on a side of the insulatinghousing 5, the pivotal portions 13 of the load plate 1 are received inthe slots 401 of the fixing member 4, the fastening members 3 go throughthe through holes 402 of the fixing member 4 and screw with a back plate9 assembled under the PCB 7, the fastening members 3 press on thepivotal portions 13 of the load plate 1 to position the load pale 1. Thering 6 is assembled to the assembling portion 21 of the screwing member2 for limiting the screwing member 2 on the load plate 1 and there is aspace between the tongue portion 12 of the load plate 1 and the ring 6.The ring 6 interferences with the assembling portion 21 of the screwingmember 2.

Referring to FIG. 5 after the package 8 is assembled to the insulatinghousing 5, rotate the load plate 1 to a closed position, due to thelimitation of the package 8, the tongue portion 12 of the load plate 1is in an inclined position, one end the tongue portion 12 touches withthe head portion 20 of the screwing member 2, the opposite end does nottouch with the head portion 20. Rotate the screwing member 2 to make itbe screwed with the back plate 9, during this process, the screwingmember 2 presses on the load plate 1 to make it move downwardly anduntil the tongue portion 12 is in a horizontal position as shown in FIG.6. At this state, when continually rotate the screwing member 2, thetooth portions 201 will touch with the block 1210 of the load plate 1 tomake a sound to cue the operator that the load plate 1 is screwed to itscorrect position.

While the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present inventionhas been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes knownto persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the presentinvention are considered within the scope of the present invention asdefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrical connector for mounting on a printedcircuit board (PCB), comprising: an insulating housing; a plurality ofcontacts received in the insulating housing; a load plate covering onthe insulating housing and being able to rotate between a closedposition and an opened position; and a screwing member assembled to theload plate and used to keep the load plate in the closed position;wherein the screwing member has a head portion with a plurality of toothportions, the load plate has a tongue portion, the tongue portion has afixing hole for the screwing member going through, a recess near thefixing hole and a block in the recess, during the process of screwingthe screwing member, the tooth portions touch with the block for makinga sound.
 2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein thescrewing member has an assembling portion extending downwardly from thehead portion and a matching portion extending downwardly from theassembling portion.
 3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 2,wherein further comprising a ring assembled to the assembling portion ofthe screwing member to limit the screwing member on the load plate,there is a space between the tongue portion of the load plate and thering.
 4. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein thering interferences with the assembling portion of the screwing member.5. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein furthercomprising a fixing member locating on a side of the insulating housingto position the load plate.
 6. The electrical connector as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the fixing member has a body portion and a pair ofslots on two ends thereof and a pair of through holes penetrating thebody portion of the fixing member.
 7. The electrical connector asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the load plate has a main portion and a pairof pivotal portions extending toward each other from the ends of themain portion, the tongue portion extends from the other end of the mainportion.
 8. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein thepivotal portions of the load plate are received in the slots of thefixing member, the electrical connector further comprises a pair offastening members going through the through holes of the fixing memberto position the load plate.
 9. An electrical connector for mounting apackage to a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising: an insulatinghousing; a plurality of contacts received in the insulating housing; aload plate covering on the insulating housing and rotating between aclosed position and an opened position, the load plate having a tongueportion with a block; a screwing member assembled to the tongue portionof the load plate and for keeping the load plate in the closed position;and a ring assembled to the screwing member for limiting the screwingmember on the load plate; wherein the screwing member has a head portionwith a plurality of tooth portions, when the package is assembled to theinsulating housing and the load plate is naturally presses on thepackage, the tongue portion of the load plate is in an inclinedposition, one end of the tongue portion touches with the head portion ofthe screwing member, and the opposite end of the tongue portion does nottouch with the head portion, and when the tongue portion is in ahorizontal position and continually rotate the screwing member, thetooth portions will touch with the block of the load plate for making asound.
 10. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein thetongue portion has a fixing hole for going through of the screwingmember, and a recess near the fixing hole, the block is set in therecess.
 11. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein thescrewing member has an assembling portion extending downwardly from thehead portion and a matching portion extending downwardly from theassembling portion, the ring is assembled to the assembling portion ofthe screwing member.
 12. An electrical connector for mounting on aprinted circuit board (PCB), comprising: an insulating housing; aplurality of contacts received in the insulating housing; a load platepositioned above the insulating housing and defining opposite front andrear ends, said load plate rotatable about the rear end and between aclosed position and an opened position; and a screwing member assembledto the front end of the load and having a head portion with a pluralityof teeth thereunder; wherein a front end region of the load plate formsa fixing hole through which the screwing member extends, and an upwardprotrusion is located around the fixing hole at a radial position, withregard to said fixing hole, which is farthest from a front edge of saidfront end, so as to engage the corresponding tooth and make a sound whenthe load plate is rotated to closed position and the screwing member isdownwardly moved to a locking position.
 13. The electrical connector asclaimed in claim 12, wherein said fixing hole is a complete round hole.14. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said frontend region forms a recess around the fixing hole, and said upwardprotrusion is located in the recess.